Vice President Joe Biden, saying the Dec. 14 school massacre in Newtown, Conn., has awakened "the conscience of the country," on Wednesday vowed quick executive action to deal with gun violence.

It's a problem that "requires our immediate action, urgent action, and the president and I are determined to take action," Biden told a group of gun-safety advocates and victims of gun violence as he convened the first meeting of the White House gun-violence study group.

President Obama set up the group after the shootings that left 20 elementary school students and six staff members dead.

Obama told Biden to deliver recommendations by the end of January.

At the first meeting, Biden said he would meet later with gun owners, the National Rifle Association and representatives of the electronic games industry. He said the administration is seeking input from a wide array of groups.

He added: "The president is going to act. There are executive orders - executive action that can be taken. We haven't decided what that is yet, but we're compiling it all with the help of the attorney general and - and all the rest of the Cabinet members - as well as legislative action, we believe, is required."